Funerals by T S Warden

A local business is creating a buzz by offering human burial on a budget. A funeral home is advertising that in areas where crime is spiking.One billboard is located on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Moncrief Road, where, unfortunately, there's been a lot of violent activity. Action News went to talk to the owners of the funeral home to find out if it is a strategic move on their part.There’s not too many on the Northside who haven't noticed the billboard."The funeral? Yeah, I see it every day," said Kelvin Blue.It's large with bold lettering -- and to Blue -- that sparks questions."It's great for any business to advertise. I have no issues with that. But when you see a billboard that says death is as cheap as $1,995, that begs the question, ‘What is the motivation?’" Blue said.We went straight to Funerals by T.S. Warden to find out. Latest News Headlines from Action News Tyrone Warden said they do offer economy funeral packages for $1,995, way cheaper than most. An average funeral can cost between $6,000 and $10,000."Viewing. That includes one family car. It includes a casket. A standard-size casket and it includes a service during the week," Warden said.Warden started the economy package back during the recession, when a lot of families were canceling their insurance policies. We’ve learned they've seen a higher volume of clients lately, some cases involving teens.For them, it's about nothing more than lending a helping hand."Of course it's not a situation where we're gauging anyone or what have you. We're just trying to help out when times are a little rough for them," Warden said.Some argue the marketing targets an area where crime is frequent and murders are high. Action News requested the specific number of murders for the 32208 area, and those figures are forthcoming, but we know we've covered several in recent months.Blue just wants to steer clear."Anytime murder or death is promoted and accepted, I take issue with that," Blue said.There's another bil... (ActionNewsJax.com)